Some cookies are essential to ensure our website works for you. You may block or delete all cookies from this site but parts of the site may not work. To find out more about how we use cookies, see our privacy statement.

Product Support

Data Sheets

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Buy

You should only use video converters and extenders if it is absolutely necessary to do so. In many cases, most video converters and extenders are not necessary if you purchase the correct cable.

The following table lists the maximum length of cable for common video standards.

Video standard

Maximum length

DisplayPort

50 ft. (15.2m)

HDMI

50 ft. (15.2m)

DVI

50 ft. (15.2m)

VGA

200 ft. (71m)

Note: StarTech.com offers cables longer than what is listed above, including active cables, which typically include built-in active signal boosters that allow for longer cables. Active cables are specifically designed to exceed the suggested maximum lengths and are tested at the listed specifications (for example, the maximum listed resolution).

Video adapters

Video adapters passively adapt a cable from one connector type to another. Video adapters do not change the signal type, or change the video standard.

Examples of common applications for adapters include the following:

DVI-I to VGA

RCA to BNC

Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort

Couplers (female to female, or male to male)

Note: You can use a coupler to extend a cable for a short distance. However, each coupler that you use can introduce signal loss, which degrades the signal quality.

Video converters

Video converters actively process and change the signal type from one video standard and convert it to another standard. They are typically used to convert digital to analog and vice versa, but can be used to convert a digital signal to another digital video standard (for example, HDMI to DisplayPort).

Video converters work over short distances from the source to the destination: up to 15 feet or 3 meters.

Video extenders

Video extenders convert an input signal to a higher voltage for transmission over longer distances and then convert the input signal back to the original video standard. The input and the output signal will match on a video extender, as the same video standard is maintained end-to-end. If a cable is extended with adapters or converters, the signal quality degrades.

Was this information helpful?Yes No

A passive video signal converter changes the type of connection that is being used but does not change the signal that passes through the converter. Because the video signal is not modified, passive converters tend to be smaller, simpler, and less expensive than active video signal converters. Examples of passive converters include DVI-I to VGA, HDMI to DVI, and DisplayPort to Mini-DisplayPort converters.

An active video signal converter modifies both the type of connection that is being used and the signal that passes through the converter. Because this type of conversion can be complex, active converters tend to be larger than passive video signal converters and sometimes require additional power. Examples of active converters include DVI-D to VGA, HDMI to DisplayPort, and VGA to HDMI converters.

Was this information helpful?Yes No

Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video display interface that can contain different types of signaling, based on the application. DVI cables and ports are created using different connector types to identify what application they are intended to be used in. The connector types are identified by the number of pins on the DVI connector. DVI comes in the following five different connector types:

Note: The maximum resolution of your video source and video destination are ultimately determined by the technical specifications of the devices. The connector type is not a definitive indicator of the maximum resolution.

DVI-A carries only analog (for example, VGA) with no digital component. DVI-D carries only digital video (for example, HDMI) with no analog component. DVI-I combines DVI-A and DVI-D connections to include both analog and digital components. A DVI-I port may be on either your video source or display, but whether or not a display carries either or both analog and digital sources depends on the technical specifications of your device.

Was this information helpful?Yes No

Troubleshooting

When you troubleshoot issues with an HDMI cable, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:

HDMI cable

Video source

Video destination

To test your setup components, try the following:

Use the HDMI cable, video source, and video destination in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.

Use a different HDMI cable, video source, and video destination in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.

When you test the HDMI cable, video source, and video destination, it is recommended that you do the following:

Verify that the source resolution matches the capabilities of the video source destination. For example, if the video destination is only capable of 720p, then the video source cannot output 1080p or 1920 x 1080, as that exceeds the capabilities of the video source destination.

Test at a lower resolution, for example, 1024 x 768.

If you are using 4K resolutions, test with a shorter cable.

If you are experiencing issues with audio over HDMI, ensure that the following is true:

The source is set up to output audio over HDMI.

The destination is compatible with the source's audio format.

The destination's volume was raised.

Note: HDMI to DVI cables, adapters and converters do not support audio unless otherwise noted in the Technical Specifications tab on the product page on the StarTech.com website.